Chemistry, Chaos & Steam: A Magistery of Dunces

A Good Deed in the Darkness

Some of the children let out a scream, which only caused others to join in. Victoria, however, was anything but scared. In fact, she was peeved. Maybe if she hadn't just escaped from being charbroiled and gassed, this minor inconvenience would have been frightening, but now it was just a nuisance. She knew better than to call out to her sister who she was sure had already disappeared—presumably into some hidden passage to laugh at her sister's expense. And even if Victoria had believed that Morosia was within spitting distance she would not have called out to her. That would have given Morosia the satisfaction of having to rescue her little baby sister, something Victoria was determined to avoid at all costs. So, in a tone eerily similar to her mother's, the child known as Steam Girl barked a command.

"Quiet!"

To her great surprise, it actually worked. And though she could still make out a smattering of whimpers, enough order had been restored that she could hear herself think and begin formulating a plan.

"First things first. Is anybody hurt?"

Victoria allowed a short pause to hang on her question. Though the whimpers continued, there were, she noted, far fewer and thankfully no one had answered her question in the affirmative.

"Good," she continued in as soothing but firm a voice as she could command. "Because nothing will be accomplished by standing here and crying. It seems pretty obvious to me that this is some sort of test and if we don't keep our wits about us, we may be in serious danger of failing it."

Victoria paused for a moment to let her words sink in. Everyone had worked hard to make it into the Magistery. To blow it now, after having come so far put a greater fear into them than the prospect of facing whatever it was that might be lurking out there in the dark.

"So let's just be quiet for a moment and think," she continued. "What would be useful right now?"

"Light," came the quick reply from a number of voices. Victoria could discern no more whimpering. It had, at least in the voices that had answered her, been replaced by determination.

"Good," she said. "Now if anyone has anything that will cast light, please bring it out now."

In short order, two glowing dots appeared from within the huddled mass. They each began to move rapidly as if the holders were attempting to scratch their signatures with light on a jet-black board. Seconds later, the dots became elongated sticks throwing off enough of a glow to cast the two youthful faces, one boy and one girl, in shadow.

"Well done, you two," said Victoria. "Now, nobody else move, okay?"

There were enough grunts of agreement that Victoria felt confident in continuing.

"The two of you with the crystals, what are your names?"

"Amy" answered the girl.

"Leo" answered the boy.

"Great. I want you to walk in opposite directions...slowly away from the group and toward the walls. Can you do that?"

Both heads nodded silently.

"We need you to begin looking for a door or a window or any way out of here. Go slowly as there may be something...in your way."

"Something?" asked Leo. "What kind of something?"

"I have no idea," answered Victoria barely containing the frustration she felt at so ludicrous a question. "I didn't make up this test. If there's anything, it certainly won't harm you. This appears to be a test of doggedness, not survival."